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Default [LONG] Lunch at Lavinia in Paris with Sharon Bowman

The back story: When I had assembled my plans for a business trip to
England and France, I realized that there was a Monday in London going
unfilled by business, so what better use to make of it than to Eurostar
over to Paris for an afternoon of vinous fun with Internet wine blog
phenom Sharon Bowman? Sharon proved agreeable (a theme repeated
throughout the day), so the plan was set. Alas, Eurostar proved to be
the weak link, as a delay in transit scotched our plans to lunch at
Willi's, where Granite du Clisson was served BTG, but Sharon
resourcefully relocated the lunch to Lavinia's palais du vin on the Rue
Madeleine, and so it went:

2006 Stéphane Tissot Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Les Argiles du Lias

The deal at Lavinia is to order food upstairs, then proceed downstairs
to the retail space to find the wine. I'd ordered a tomato-based
gaspacho and an eggplant dish wrapped around a cheese filling while
sharon got a bacon-and-egg dish (fascinating) and another small plate
that I forgot. Although Sharon was graciously deferring to me on the
choice, and I was hopelessly dithering, the decision was made when I
entered the Jura section. After years of reading Flordia Jim Cowan's
paeans to Tissot's Chardonnays, I selected one to try. What a unique
rendition of Chardonnay! In texture, it combines the linearity of
Chablis with the richness of Burgundy, while altogether different from
either, not to mention worlds away from CA. With minerality and fruit,
perhaps the only off note was the sense of alcohol, despite the stated
13.5% ABV. Subjectively, at the end of lunch, I was convinced that it
was more than the stated ABV.

2006 René Mosse Anjou "Le Coin d'Hyrome"

It's a sign of my slight inebriation from lunch that I let Siren Sharon
talk me into loitering around the Enomatics on the ground floor for some
more sipping without spitting. This is probably the best use of
Enomatics that I've yet seen, maybe because there are some interesting
wines inside. I felt that this wine was slightly muted on the nose,
with perhaps a hint of oxidative character. It was big, with slightly
oxidative notes and perceptible RS, but not one of my favorite
renditions of Chenin. Maybe I've been drinking too much Huet, or maybe
it's the vintage showing its presence, but I'm not moved.

2006 Chassorney Saint-Romain Combe Bazin white

Quite spicy in the nose, with some citrus and a buttery hint of ML.
Lean and clean with plenty of fruit and that ML note in the finish.
Another winner Chardonnay.

2007 Chapoutier Saint-Joseph Les Mûres white

What is this? White flowers and minerality that is straight out of the
Pinot Blanc playbook (and, as an aside, I have on more than one occasion
found similar characteristics in Sauvignon). Acidic and lean, with
modest fruit, it still seems like PB. Altogether weird (but pleasant)
rendition of St. Joseph blanc.

2005 Jaboulet Hermitage "Chevalier de Sterimberg"

Here we go with typicity. Wax and butterscotch in the nose to me. Like
most Marsannes, this wine is too big and floppy for my tastes, but it'd
be more interesting I'm certain with a decade in the cellar.

Sharon then even volunteered to accompany me to Caves Augé, one of my
favorite places to shop for wines, and we spent a thoroughly enjoyable
20 minutes or so perusing their selection before my impending departure
forced me to bring the visit to a close and repair back to London with
my newly-acquired treasures, an '04 Viré Clessé from Dom. Valette and an
'04 Jacquère from Duspasquier on the strength of Sharon's enthusiastic
endorsements and an '05 Brouilly from the right Descombes and an '06
Morgon from a producer unknown to both us (Joseph Chamonard) but which
the very reliable guy behind the counter gave his imprimatur to.

Overall, a very enjoyable, if wine-besotted, afternoon spent in Paris on
a glorious October afternoon with an enjoyable Franco-American ex-pat.
Lavinia is an interesting place to lunch, with very good food and a fine
selection of interesting wines. Lavinia bought Caves Augé, so the buyer
for the latter (Marc Sibard) now advises Lavinia on wine purchases.
However, there is a significant price differential between the two
stores, so one is usually better off getting the wine at Augé if at all
possible.

Your intrepid reporter,

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net
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